Stephen von Merz
Contact:
Clinical Assistant Professor
MSW, University of Denver
LCSW
Craig Hall, Room 333
Telephone: 303-871-4605
E-mail: Stephen.vonMerz@du.edu
Areas of interest:
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child, adolescent and family mental health
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individual, group, family and couples therapy
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social work with Latino families
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juvenile justice
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clinical case management and supervision
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program development and administration
A Native speaker of Spanish, Prof. Stephen von Merz has served as Program Coordinator of GSSW's Social Work with Latinos/as Certificate since 2009. Prior to his appointment to the GSSW faculty in 2010, he taught MSW courses for two years as an adjunct professor and served as sponsor of two independent study projects.
His professional experience includes more than a decade of bilingual clinical social work practice in a number of clinical and community settings. He is highly practiced in implementing intensive in-home therapy and outpatient therapy that include using empirically based models of treatment, such as Structural Family Therapy, Strategic Family Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Prof. von Merz provides bilingual clinical supervision with an emphasis on culturally responsive therapy in social work practice and holds Certificates in Multi-Systemic Therapy, Hand Drumming Therapy with Psychotherapy, and Secondary Trauma Resiliency Training. He has also worked closely with the mental health treatment team at Mount View Youth Services Center, as a contract therapist, in developing a Therapeutic Mentoring Program for residents and paroled youth involved in the Colorado Division of Youth Corrections.
I am committed to helping students think critically about their social work practice because, for me, humanity is the ultimate community we serve. As a Latino social worker, guided by passion and principle, led by integrity and diplomacy, I am dedicated to helping students create a world in which there is libertad y justicia para todos. I welcome you to life as a social worker!
